REVIEW TOPICS:
Is Romania spy scandal a part of large-scale operation?
NATO has confidence in ability of Romanian side to appropriately consider spy case
Romanian news agency HotNews is critical about security services in comment on ‘operation Floricel’
Deep shades of grey notable in Romanian-Ukrainian relations after spying scandal
Security Service of Ukraine still seized some documents at Naftogaz Ukrainy: Financial Times
Ukraine's Security Service halts Naftogaz Ukrainy probe
Ukraine’s first vice premier: newly appointed SBU first vice-chief abusing his post to defend RosUkrEnergo's interests
Ukrainian parliament created commission for investigation of conflict between SBU and Naftogaz
Universal Commercial Bank's officials not involved in Prominvestbank's bankruptcy: Security Service of Ukraine
Estonian businessman who was named a spy by Russia’s FSB intends to bring action against Moscow
Is Romania spy scandal a part of large-scale operation?
Romanian Court is going to try the appeal filed by the Bulgarian national Petar Zikulov, who is charged with espionage, Sofia News Agency reports. Zikulov is currently detained for 29 days, the maximum period under Romanian law.
Zikulov and Floricel Achim, a Romanian warrant officer, were arrested in Bucharest on March 2,
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| Floricel Achim at age of 23 |
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on charges of espionage and treason. They have been accused of leaking military secrets to a third country that was not an EU and NATO member.
There are fears that the scandal can grow in case NATO information has been involved. Romanian authorities are investigating the possibility and said that if they establish leaks of NATO classified data, they would immediately notify the Alliance.
The Deputy Chairman of the Municipal Council in the Bulgarian city of Sliven and former officer of the Bulgarian State Security (DS), Marin Kavrukov, said in a special interview for Darik Radio that he knew Zikulov in person and confirmed he was a close relative of the former Chief of the Bulgarian Military Intelligence during the Communist regime, General Vladimir Zikulov.
"I know Peter Zikulov personally,” Marin Kavrakov said in the interview: "He was attached about a year ago to the group of the First main directorate of the DS, because the structure of developing military intelligence had no positions in the district centres. Zikulov implementing routine actions on studying of contingent of „operationally interesting" people and contacts, which is a normal activity for the beginner officer of intelligence and counterintelligence. He formally served in the Parachute Battalion, which had an Intelligence unit. Most of the personnel studied also in the special course of military intelligence in military school of Veliko Tyrnovo. Career of a military attache is a good development for the military intelligence officer, but the fact that he worked in a nearby country that is not an active region means that a lot had to learn more to move to a NATO member-country where requirements and the selection should be higher. If his career had developed properly, after Romania he probably would work in another country as a military attache, or return to the leadership’s Analysis Centre”.
Kavrukov warned that the case could be connected with some large scale operation that could involve not only the Ukraine and its aspirations to join NATO, but also Russia and Bulgaria, which could turn into a really huge political and diplomatic scandal.
Kavrakov said, "Why the Bulgarian who transferred information till 2007 was arrested in 2009 with no evidence provided, when normally the case has been developed in order to get the agent red-handed at the time of transmission of information? It is possible that information from Romania and Ukraine was going directly to Russia through the Bulgarian, because they do not know in this case who is the main character, the retired Bulgarian officer or the Ukrainian diplomat. If Zikulov gathered and transmitted information to the Ukrainians after he left the "special services", what did he do when he was an officer of the Intelligence Agency of the Ministry of National Defense of Bulgaria (RUMNO) and when he was obliged to collect information in Bulgaria. Can we assume that he transferred information also to the Bulgarians and the Ukrainians or the Russians then?".
Romania doesn’t accuse Bulgaria in espionage over that case and the actions of Zikulov have no connection with Sofia, Romanian investigators said, according to Focus News Agency.
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| James Appathurai |
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NATO has confidence in ability of Romanian side to appropriately consider spy case
NATO intelligence has "total confidence" in the ability of Romanian authorities to consider adequately the case of espionage they have faced in these days, but the Alliance, although informed of situation, can not make other comments, NewsIn reports, referring to the NATO spokesman James Appathurai.
"We are informed about the situation and know that the Romanian authorities examine the case. We have total confidence in the ability of Romanian authorities in this regard," today said James Appathurai. "But beyond that, NATO can not comment on this issue," Appathurai told NewsIn, when asked how does he see the situation when a country aspiring to join NATO, like Ukraine, have bought illegal information.
James Appathurai, the NATO spokesperson, has worked as a Canadian journalist. Prior to becoming the NATO spokesperson, he was a Senior Planning Officer in the Political Affairs Division of NATO, held other positions in NATO, Department of National Defense of Canada and as a journalist with Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Romanian news agency HotNews is critical about security services in comment on ‘operation Floricel’
The Romanian secret services of all kinds have been engaged in an extensive rebranding campaign and the movie with spies Floricel Achim and Petar Marinov Zikolov look like an advertising spot for the SRI intelligence service. What happened in 2006 has been repeated in 2009. HotNews considers that the new case of espionage seems sewn with white thread and wonders why. Why do intelligence services believe that geostrategic scenarios with Ukraine, Russia, NATO and other participants are improbable?
HotNews emphasizes that one should pay attention first of all to intensified public activity of the two heads of Romania intelligence, George Maior and Mihai Razvan Ungureanu. In the past few weeks, the SRI and SIE heads are out in public conferences and give interviews in the press.
George Major, who at the end of the year was talking to a glossy magazine, spoke publicly on February 10, together with Mihai Razvan Ungureanu about the need for new national security laws. Ungureanu talks about his success in transformation of the SIE from Dacia (Romanian made vehicle) into Rolls Royce, insists on the idea of innovation and professionalism. HotNews observer calls behaviour of the two security services heads totally atypical for two men renowned for total discretion.
Three years ago, under the leadership of Radu Timofte, SRI received several blows because of catastrophic failure of managing the crisis because of the Syrian Omar Hayssam from the country accused of terrorism.
In full crisis SRI instantaneously detonated two bombs that have diverted public attention: they expelled an Iraqi suspected of preparing acts of terrorism and they caught alleged terrorists.
In the current case of Floricel, SRI and prosecutors have shown their willingness to provide the press with maximum video material on the suspect and all possible information from the dossier.
In 2006, President Traian Basescu was trying to pass security laws by the parliament. In April 2006, professionalism of the head of SRI state service was praised. However, then the obtained evidence was demonstrated with too much modesty, HotNews notes. In 2009, Romanian intelligence has become more offensive and knowing how to sell their performance.
Though, also in early 2009, intelligence has engaged a kind of demonization campaign, creating mild Orwellian political atmosphere, as HotNews observer puts it. “Citizens have been continuously monitored by telephone, computer, biometric passports and in other ways”.
SRI lost a lawsuit with Dinu Patriciu who brought a case about illegally intercepted phone conversations. And there was one more small failure, as neither SRI nor SIE could say precisely where the stolen weapons have gone from the military base of Ciorogarla.
Another detail in the context is that the same as in 2006, the Romanian intelligence services today require speeding up discussing of security laws in the parliament. Minister of Justice has even prepared a draft bill on new secret service and it is not clear why Romania would need a new set of spies, HotNews marks. One may rather expect from these laws that the power of secret services in Romania be clarified.
Floricel could have been exposed at any time: a year ago, two years ago, in a year or two, the observed notes. He could be exposed discreetly and quietly. The secret services, however, have chosen another way: they have exposed the affair artistically and with the trumpet blare, just today when confidence in their professionalism is questioned, HotNews underlines.
Floricel case seems hold for some time by the SRI as something usable in times of crisis when the public ask questions about intelligence services and parliamentary debate has been approaching national security laws. Floricel case sounds like an adjustment to internal necessities and is completely absurd for external use, according to HotNews.
Deep shades of grey notable in Romanian-Ukrainian relations after spying scandal: newspaper
The scandal of the Romanian non-commissioned officer and of his Bulgarian partner regarding espionage in favour of a third country occupied Romania’s media in the past few days.
Daily Nine O’Clock writes today that “one does not need to be an expert of the
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Achim, Zikulov arrested |
intelligence service to understand that it is a low level matter, with a zero impact on the security of Romania”. The paper stresses that Romanian intelligence services had surveyed the warrant officer Floricel Achim since 2002 and were probably aware of the information that he was furnishing, maybe even facilitated the flow of (probably) false or truncated information. “Even if we didn’t know these things, it is difficult to believe that a non-commissioned officer would have had access to highly important information’.
The serious – and, on another hand, delicate - side of the situation comes concurrently with the expulsion of the military attaché of the Embassy of Ukraine to Bucharest. The paper stresses that it was unavoidable to be declared “persona non grata” since it was proved that the respective person and the Ukrainian state were the final beneficiaries of the intelligence. “Now, definitely, the question which arises is how long it had been known and the final move of the Romanian services had been anticipated?” The ex-foreign minister Adrian Cioroianu (and also media analysts) connects the postponement of President Traian Basescu’s visit to Kiev precisely to the spy affair. The Foreign Ministries of Romania and Ukraine announced that they were preparing a new meeting, the date remaining uncertain.
The situation of the Romanian-Ukrainian relations becomes more delicate due to the spy case and the shades of grey that characterized them become deeper, Nine O’Clock notes. Today, Ukraine, the aspirant to NATO, should also “set in order” its relations with the neighbours and show a clear determination on the line of the Atlantic integration, the paper marks. Romania supports Ukraine for its accession to NATO, but in exchange Ukraine tried to obtain military secrets from Romania, a NATO member country. Nine O’Clock points put that for some analysts this is the result, at least partial, of the fight between the political camps from the neighbouring country, where the contrasts are permanent: pro-Western or pro-Russians.
Security Service of Ukraine still seized some documents at Naftogaz Ukrainy: Financial Times
The Financial Times cites an official from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) state security service who said during the search at the Naftogaz Ukrainy headquarters yesterday they had seized documents relating to the transfer of gas worth $2.6bn (€2bn), destined for eastern Europe that has allegedly been diverted illegally into storage by Naftogaz.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty says among the items seized during the raid were documents related to some 11 billion cubic meters of gas that is the former property of RosUkrEnergo, the murky company that until recently served as the intermediary in gas deals between Russia and Ukraine.
The SBU spokeswoman, Marina Ostapenko, said the March 4 raid was tied to suspicions that Naftogaz Ukrainy had improperly seized the RosUkrEnergo supplies, which was worth an estimated $900 million, RFE/RL notes. "[This incident] doesn't need to be blown out of proportion. These are ordinary investigative actions, absolutely ordinary investigative actions in the framework of Ukrainian law," Ostapenko is cited by the radio.
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| Vladimir Trekolich, Naftogaz Ukrainy deputy head |
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The company said it feared the SBU, controlled by Viktor Yushchenko, Ukraine's president, might be trying to take control of the gas. Ukraine’s Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko alleged the SBU raid was an attempt by RosUkrEnergo to seize gas supplies from Naftogaz in order to "paralyze" the country's gas-distribution service. The Prime Minister, who is locked in a long-term political rivalry with Yushchenko, claims there are links between the President and RosUkrEnergo, RFE/RL adds.
The bitter power struggle between Ukraine's President and Prime Minister could potentially lead to a new gas standoff with Russia, after the Ukrainian Security Service raided the headquarters of state-run Naftogaz Ukrainy to seize a package of documents inked with Gazprom earlier this year, Energy Intelligence online magazine says.
Ukraine's Security Service halts Naftogaz Ukrainy probe
The Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) announced today it had stopped a probe into the natural gas dealings of energy company Naftogaz Ukrainy, following a court ruling, Russian news agency RIA-Novosti reports. The move follows yesterday's raid of the head office of Naftogaz Ukrainy by the SBU security service, overseen by Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, and special-task unit Alfa.
Security service officers were reportedly demanding the original copies of the company's January gas deal with Russia's Gazprom, following accusations that Naftogaz had illegally diverted large volumes of gas bought from Russia.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who oversees Naftogaz, fiercely criticized the raid, saying it was aimed at disrupting payments and causing panic. Valery Khoroshevsky, deputy head of the SBU, dismissed on Thursday reports that the raid was aimed at protecting the interests of Swiss gas intermediary RosUkrEnergo, RIA Novosti notes.
Security Service of Ukraine agents left building of UkrTransGaz company
Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) agents, having drawn a protocol on impossibility to carry out investigatory actions, at about 11 a.m. local time left the administration building of the UkrTransGaz, subsidiary of the Naftogaz Ukrainy national joint-stock company, Kiyv Post online edition reports.
After a ninety-minute debate with Verkhovna Rada (parliament) members of the Yulia Tymoshenko Block, headed by the faction deputy leader Andrei Portnov, the Security Service investigation and operational group, headed by colonel Stanislav Rezanyuk, in presence of attesting witnesses drew a protocol and leftthe UkrTransGaz building
Employees of the Security Service of Ukraine today were trying to carry out nvestigative actions in the facilities of UkrtTansGaz, news agency Regnum reports. In their turn, Yulia Tymoshenko Block faction parliament members were trying to prevent actions of the SBU officers, according to news agency’s Kiev correspondent.
The parliament members were referring to decision of Shevchenko district court of the city of Kiev which had suspended investigatory actions on criminal case concerning Naftogaz Ukrainy, earlier brought by the Security Service, Regnum expands.
On March 2, the Security Service of Ukraine brought a criminal case on the fact of obtaining by officials of the Naftogaz Ukrainy of 6.3 billion cubic metres of transit gas in the amount of 7.4 billion Hryvnia (about $1 billion) on preliminary arrangement of a group of persons. On March 3, in the course of investigation of the criminal case an accomplice of the crime, deputy head of the Energetics regional customs was detained, Regnum adds.
Deputy head of the Naftogaz Ukrainy legal department Larisa Kolesnyk recalled, on March 4 the Shevchenko district court resolution was sent to the Security Service, particularly to the investigators, so she stressed that all the Security Service investigatory actions it takes for this criminal case did not comply with norms of the Criminal Proceedings Code, online edition of Kyiv Post notes.
Ukrainian parliament created commission for investigation of conflict between SBU and Naftogaz
The Supreme Rada (parliament) of Ukraine at plenary session today, has created temporary inquiry commission of the parliament concerning finding-out of circumstances of violation of Constitution by officers of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the current legislation at performance of the official duties at events around of functioning national stock-company Naftogaz Ukrainy and gas-transport system of Ukraine. AIA reported yesterday that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) agents, with the help of Alfa special-task force unit, penetrated yesterday an office of Naftogaz Ukrainy company to withdraw documents connected to investigation of a criminal case on diversion of 6.3 billion cubic metres of gas by officials from the Naftogaz Ukrainy. After that, on the same day the Shevchenko district court of Kiev banned the Security Service to investigate this case.
According to parliament member from the faction Our Ukraine -National Self-Defense, commission’s head Roman Zvarych, the term of activity of the commission is 3 months. It is also defined by the regulation that the commission should present a tentative report in the parliament not later than on April 5.
In the opinion of the first vice-premier of the Ukrainian government Alexander Turchinov, seizure of the Naftogaz Ukrainy building was carried out by intelligence agencies under the order of the President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko, news agency Regnum reports. “The objective of the action was withdrawal of originals of contracts between Gazprom and Naftogaz Ukrainy and the further disruption of payment to the Russian monopolist”, considers Turchinov. Later the same day the members of group Alfa and the SBU officers left the Naftogaz Ukrainy offices, not having made withdrawal of originals of the contracts.
Ukraine’s first vice premier: newly appointed SBU first vice-chief abusing his post to defend RosUkrEnergo's interests
Ukraine’s First Vice-Premier Aleksander Turchinov has accused recently appointed First Deputy Chief of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) Valery Khoroshkovsky of abusing his official post to "defend the interests of RosUkrEnergo," online edition of Kyiv Post reports.
"Khoroshkovsky has defended the interests of RosUkrEnergo since the start of his work at the SBU (…) In my opinion, he has been using his official post to do so," Turchinov said at a briefing in Kiev yesterday. "It is no secret that Khoroshkovsky said himself on television and during interviews that he has joint business interests with RosUkrEnergo Head [Dmitry] Firtash," Turchynov said. He marked that Khoroshkovsky had been deliberately appointed to the SBU in order to "block the activities of Naftogaz." Turchinov also told that while holding the post of State Customs Service head, Khoroshkovsky had actually ignored government orders and "did all he could to prevent the customs clearance of gas from early 2008, which they tried to write off via UkrGaz-Energo, i.e. a subsidiary of RosUkrEnergo."
Universal Commercial Bank's officials not involved in Prominvestbank's bankruptcy: Security Service of Ukraine
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has established that officials of the Universal Commercial Bank (Unicombank), a small bank based in Donetsk, were not involved ion the actions that resulted in the bankruptcy of Prominvestbank, one of the largest banks in Ukraine, Kyiv Post reports, referring to Marina Ostapenko, the head of the SBU's press service.
"The results of the investigation that was conducted did not confirm this information, i.e. I can say that officials of Unicombank were not involved in the bankruptcy of Prominvestbank," Ostapenko said at a news briefing, adding that the investigation lasted several months.
The Security Service of Ukraine's acting chairman Valentin Nalyvaychenko said on October 15, 2008, that the SBU had uncovered a scheme that a criminal gang based abroad used to legalize UAH 400 million belonging to Prominvestbank and that the money was transferred abroad through the Universal Commercial Bank. The SBU then filed two criminal cases alleging money laundering, the paper adds.
Estonian businessman who was named a spy by Russia’s FSB intends to bring action against Moscow
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Allan Saar in Lihula |
Allan Saar, an Estonian who has been trading log houses in Russia for 11 years, became ill-famed on August 20, 2008, daily Postimees writes today. It was then when the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) reported to the mass media that Estonian spy Allan Saar (born 1962) who allegedly gathered classified information on military facilities at the Russian-Estonian border had been expelled from Russia. Saar often enough used to stay in Pskov area where a Russian airborn division is located. It was stated that the alleged Estonian spy had showed peculiar interest.
On August 20, 2008, Russian news agency Interfax reported the following, „Allan Saar, citizen of Estonia, born in 1962, was violating his status during his stay in the territory of the Russian Federation and has been engaged in gathering of military information, including that of confidential character. In particular, his was interested in data on the divisions of the Russian army deployed in the frontier regions neighboured with the Estonian Republic. Such actions of Saar contain attributes of conducting intelligence activity in favour of a foreign state, according to the source of the agency".
Already last August in an interview to daily Eesti Paevaleht, Saar rejected spying allegations. "I do not have either a diplomatic passport, or diplomatic immunity, so, if I was a spy, Russia would have arrested me," he told the paper then. He also claimed that he did not know any person from the Estonian Security Police or Defence Ministry and he had no connection with any state bodies. "There is no sense to speak about expulsion from Russia as I have not been to Russia since early June," Saar said in August 2008.
According to experts, coincidence of events was bad for Saar’s situation. Shortly before originating of the spy case the war with Georgia broke out and Estonia openly condemned Russia. And the Saar’s case was brough to light again a month later when Estonia arrested Herman Simm who had been spying for Russian Foreign Intelligence Service.
After the espionage scandal, Saar who disappeared for some time in an old people’s home in Lihula was refusing to be interviewed. The man who 15 years have worked in the police said he was in a deep shock and was frightened.
Now in a half a year he has agreed to talk to an Estonian TV program. Saar maintains that he has come to the senses and wishes to protect his reputation and to sue Russia in the European Human Rights Court.
«Because of this espionage scandal I have lost everything, my friends, my acquaintances, my job. I have lost everything that is possible to lose in this life, except for my family», according to Saar who says he is still hiding his family in one of the European countries.
Saar who started talking about this case for the first time approves that it is his Russian business partner who has been standing behind the scandal and it was him who has made of Saar a spy in the eyes of the Russian counterintelligence to get rid of him.
The business security adviser Hannes Kondi says the Saar’s story is a classic case when counterintelligence uses the far-fetched pretext to show a small country as an enemy of Russia. «Unfortunately we should recognize that Russia is a country with very wide opportunities for business, but there are also much greater risks. We know hundreds of cases when people have been made criminals only because of their political views, the country of origin or other reasons which seemed unsiuted to the ruling regime», Postimees cites Kondi.
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